Wintering Balzani? With what tank mates?

[KarensFish]

I'm having a bit of a "going down the rabbit hole" moment. I'm being overwhelmed. I have 2 small Balzani. I don't know what variant they are, where they are from or what sex they are. I assumed all Balzani were supposed to be wintered. Now, I'm seeing that it depends on the variant. How can I figure out the variant on my own? Should I plan to winter them regardless?

Additionally, I'm planning on keeping the two fish in a 75-gallon bowfront tank. Finding suitable fish that can withstand winter temps is problematic. I see people say Severums are good tank mates. Yet, I know they are tropical. I see other geo's in my area like Redhead Tapajo and can find Hecklii but I think those are also tropical.

How would you stock a 75-gallon bowfront with two Balzani that will probably be wintered? Are there any other fish in the 3 to 5" range that are okay to winter in cooler temps?

Can I just add more unsexed Balzani with some Buenos Aires dither fish? If so, how many Balzani? Thanks for reading and helping out.

 

[duanes]

Wintering can just mean dropping the water temps a few degrees, from for example, if your normal temp is 75¨F, a drop tp 68´F , may be all it takes
And you are right, serverums, and northern S Americans such as Geos like Tapajos are not good tank mates.
In a tank as small as a 75, instead of other cichlids, dither fish such as Buenos Aires tetras, Bloodfin tetras or southern S American corys such as
Corydorus paleatus, or aenaeus would be my choice., because the are from the same habitat, and experience the same temp variation.

Since balzani are not predatory piscavors somewhat smaller species would noot be problematic
For tese southern S American cichlids, I don´t use heaters at all, and all0w room temps to vary with the seasons.

There are plenty of other cichlids that also inhabit similar more temperate zones, but a 75 gal is quite limited as far as room for cichlid territory goes.

left a 6 ft community tank with southern S Smerican pike (saxitilus, middle Gymnogeophagus yerbaitio, right, Australoheros red ceibal
and below that community tanks winter temp.